The present invention relates generally to windows, and more particularly, to window systems for boats.
Boats by their very nature are subject to wet conditions. For example, water will splash into a boat as it cruises through a bay or river. Also, the boat may become wet due to rain water. Although the exterior of the boat is designed for wet conditions, to a lesser extent, its interior may not be designed for wet conditions. For example, electronic equipment in the boat passenger area may not be designed for wet conditions. Also, higher end boats such as boats sold by Duffy Electric Boat Company of Newport Beach, Calif. may have leather seating within the passenger area which may become damaged upon wetting. Additionally, boat passengers may want to stay dry while riding the boat. To this end, prior art window systems have been designed to cover the passenger areas such that the passenger area and the passengers do not get wet from water splashes and rain fall while cruising through the bay or river.
For example, one prior art window system has a plurality of window openings surrounding the passenger area of the boat. Each window opening receives a window which is fabricated from a clear transparent material such that the passengers may look through the window to view the scenery as the boat is cruising through the bay or river. The window openings and the windows form a barrier between the outside environment and the interior of the passenger area. In particular, the window is formed from a transparent material and its peripheral edges bonded to a fabric. The fabric's peripheral edges are attached to a zipper which mates to a mating zipper attached to the window openings. By this way, zippering the zippers attaches the windows to the window openings and prevents water from entering the boat.
Unfortunately, the bonding process is expensive and adds to the cost of fabricating prior art window systems.